There are many theories as to the origins of tai chi
chuan. Many schools believe the founder was the Taoist monk Chan
San Feng, who lived in the Sung Dynasty (AD 960-1279). The legend
states that Chan San Feng watched a battle between a snake and a
bird ten times its size. As the bird lunged at its prey, the wily
reptile dodged and weaved, lashing back at its tormentor with
relaxed lightning speed. Eventually the exhausted bird flew off
for easier prey. In that instant the art of tai chi was said to
have been born.

Chan San Feng, a master of the bard Shaolin martial
arts, applied the principles he bad witnessed in the
actions of the snake to his martial arts expertise. The snake's
actions exemplified the Taoist principles of softness,
relaxation, flexibility and naturalness, allied to the ancient
breathing exercises to stimulate chi development.

It is not until the seventeenth century that
tai chi can be verified historically. Henen Province in northern
China was home to the Chen family of tai chi. This family has
been credited with developing the Chen style, from which all the
major schools - directly or indirectly - have developed. It is
generally accepted that this 'new' style of martial art was
developed from the popular existing arts at the time. The
difference was that its movements were soft and it did not contend
with opponents: adapting to the movements and yielding were its
hallmark.

The legendary story as to the origin of Yang
tai chi claims that at the beginning of the nineteenth century,
Chen Chan Sheng headed the Chen family tai chi, which at the time
was taught secretly to family members only. A young man by the
name of Yang Lu Chan wished desperately to learn the art of the
Chens'. Knowing that be would be refused if he asked to study
with them, be became a servant in the household. He watched
secretly as they trained at night, and during his free periods be
would imitate the techniques be had seen. One fateful evening he
was caught spying on the Chens. When be was ordered to vie
against the family members, he managed to throw his adversaries
to the ground. Chen Chan Sheng was so impressed that he
immediately offered to teach Yang as if he were a family member.

Yang Lu Chan eventually left the Chens and
returned home, where he spread the art of tai chi chuan far and
wide. Yang's skill became known to the Imperial Royal Family, who
are said to have ordered him to secrecy. He was admonished to
teach only the Royal Family the art, and to keep it secret from
the commoners. Yang did not do this, but passed on the art to
many students in secrecy.

Yang Lu Chan had two sons - Yang Pan Hou and Yang
Chien Hou.

Yang Pan Hou was the elder. He had an
irritable disposition and did not bear fools lightly. His special
skill was his apparent ability to 'stick' to his opponents,
making it almost impossible to shake his light but tenacious
hold. Pan Hou was a man of such great skill that he eventually
taught the imperial Guard.

Yang Chien Hou was the exact opposite of his
elder brother. Gentle in nature, he would refuse all challenges
to fight, not wishing to cause harm to others for personal gain.
But that does not mean he could not fight; his tai chi skill was
of the highest order, as was his teaching ability. He was said to
be virtually unbeatable in the tai chi sport of free-style
pushing hands. Even into old age, young men could not match his
immense pushing skill.

In free-style pushing hands, two people vie
against each other and attempt to use their skill to either push
the other out of the area, or throw them to the ground. One young
master at the time reported going to a free-style pushing hands
event where the winner of one contest would stay in the area and
take on the next. When he arrived an old man with a long, wispy
beard was standing in the middle of the area. One young opponent
after another was hurled out of the ring with apparent case. On
seeing this the young man came to the conclusion that the others
were apparently not very good and he would have to show them how
it was done. After all, this old man did not look much! Within
seconds of stepping into the area, the young man was catapulted
out with great force. Much chastened, he paid his respects to the
old man he now knew was Yang Chien Hou.

In their youth, Yang Lu Chan was an
uncompromising teacher who pushed his two sons hard. Quite often
the boys would receive split lips during training. Such were the
conditions that Pan Hou ran away; but he was caught and returned
home. Chien Hou actually tried to hang himself, but was prevented
from doing so by other members of the household. Eventually, Yang
Lu Chan relented and slackened his harsh regime.

Yang Shotu Hou was the eldest son of Chien
Hou. He was said to have been brilliant in the skills of tai chi.
His outstanding ability was the 'small frame' tai chi form of the
Yang style. In the small frame form, each of the movements is
small and compact compared with the other more expansive versions
of the art. One of his famous students was hsing yi
master Wang Hsiang Chai.

Yang Cheng Fu followed in his father Chien Hou's
footsteps by leading the Yang family. Cheng Fu is famous
for his modification of the old Yang form into the most widely
practised style of tai chi today, taught in this book. All Yang
tai chi forms prior to Yang Cheng Fu are now descrlbed as 'Old'. Cheng
Fu removed the explosive strikes and flying kicks, and created
the smooth, expansive movements now associated with the Yang
style. Yang Cheng Fu was an extremely large man with
prodigious strength, and trained six hours a day. Standing six
feet (1.8m) tall and weighing 280Ibs (127kg), he was a formidable
figure with some of the character traits of his uncle Yang Pan
Hou.

Yang Cheng Fu had three sons, two of whom
stayed on in China. The eldest son, Yang Shou Chung, took over
his father's mantle and moved to Hong Kong where he headed the
International Tai Chi Chuan Association. After a long and
distinguished career teaching many excellent students and
spreading the art beyond the Far East, he died at the age of 93.
One of his three leading students was master Chu King Hung. Upon
the death of Yang Shou Chung, Chu, along with his two fellow
disciples, took up the mantle as leaders of the international Tai
Chi Chuan Association.

Prior to training with Yang Shou Chung, Chu King Hung had
studied under master Fu Wing Fei of Canton. Fu Wing Fei was not
only famous for his skill in tai chi, but also in the internal
arts of hsing yi and pa kua. Allied to his tai
chi skill, Chu King Hung also studied with hsing yi/pa kua
Grand Master Hon Sing Woon and attained great skill in these
arts. Chu King Hung eventually moved to the West where, among
others, he passed on his knowledge and skills to the author.

During Yang Cheng Fu's extensive teaching tours, he was
assisted by his nephew Fu Jong Wen. Fu was Yang
Cheng Fu's right-hand man, and very gifted in the art of tai chi.
He is currently one of the most respected Yang style tai chi
masters in China.